In the installation or laying of flooring materials such as tongue in groove style flooring, it is important for the flooring pieces to be in tight contact while the same are being secured in place. Various flooring installation tools for such purposes are known. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,568,885 to Derby; 2,588,401 to Miller; 2,743,902 to Porter; 2,864,581 to Harrison; 3,524,623 to Campbell; 4,620,691 to Waters, Jr., and 5,139,231 to Temple. See also, U.K. Patent Specification Nos. 2,785 (A.D. 1876 Jul. 8) and 377,468 (Aug. 18, 1932). One feature of most of the devices disclosed by the foregoing documents is that the direction of the force which is applied to the flooring is parallel with the force applied to the device lever by the device operator. The Harrison device, however, employs a jaw member pivotally mounted on a stud and transverse force thereon to press or crowd floorboard tightly against the last board nailed in place such as with bent boards.
As useful as they may be, such devices are generally unsuitable for the laying of modern laminate flooring materials, including those of the tongue and groove type. Modern laminate flooring can become damaged more easily in installation than solid board flooring but has the same requirement that the pieces should fit in tight contact while they are secured in place.